Portable wet chemical fire extinguisher

Abstract

A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher for kitchen applications comprising a pressurized cylinder containing a fire suppressing wet chemical, a discharge assembly including an outlet in fluid communication with the cylinder, and a grip element mounted on the discharge assembly for requiring a user's hand position adjacent the outlet for delivery of the fire suppressing agent. The grip element necessitating the appropriate hand positioning may comprise a guard surrounding the outlet for protecting the outlet as well as the user's fingers. The guard can be cup-shaped, but may assume any configuration requiring natural hand placement adjacent the outlet. The user of the fire extinguisher of the present invention is thereby prevented from moving closer than a safe distance from the fire and from the placing the outlet in or adjacent to the fire area even when the fire is out.

I claim:  
     
       1. A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher for use in extinguishing combustible liquid fires, the fire extinguisher comprising: 
       a pressurized container for housing the fire suppressing wet chemical;  
       a discharge assembly mounted on the container in fluid communication with the fire suppressing wet chemical in the container, the discharge assembly including  
       a length of conduit having an outlet for the wet chemical, the conduit comprising a material which is sufficiently flexible so as to require a user's hand position adjacent the outlet for directing the wet chemical discharged from the outlet, and  
       a nozzle disposed in the outlet of the conduit, the nozzle having an axial orifice for discharging the wet chemical as a liquid mist; and  
       a guard member having an axial opening for receiving the conduit, the guard member mounted on the conduit between the user's band position and the outlet in an axial position relative to the nozzle orifice such that the guard member is not in the path of the discharged mist, the guard member having a greater cross-sectional area than the conduit for allowing the user's hand position adjacent the outlet without interfering with the discharge of the mist of fire suppressing wet chemical from the nozzle.  
     
     
       2. A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises a flexible hose. 
     
     
       3. A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the guard member comprises a hollow casing having a first open end and a closed second end having an opening for receiving the outlet end of the conduit within the casing. 
     
     
       4. A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first end of the casing extends beyond the nozzle. 
     
     
       5. A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the guard member comprises a handle adjacent the outlet. 
     
     
       6. A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the guard member comprises a grip adjacent the outlet. 
     
     
       7. A method for extinguishing combustible liquid fires, the method comprising the steps of: 
       providing a portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher comprising a pressurized container for housing the fire suppressing wet chemical, a discharge assembly mounted on the container in fluid communication with the fire suppressing wet chemical in the container, the discharge assembly including a conduit having an outlet for the wet chemical, the conduit comprising a material which is sufficiently flexible so as to require a user's hand position adjacent the outlet for directing the wet chemical discharged from the outlet, and a nozzle disposed in the outlet of the conduit, the nozzle having an axial orifice for discharging the wet chemical as a liquid mist, and a guard member having an axial opening for receiving the conduit, the guard member mounted on the conduit between the user's hand position and the outlet in an axial position relative to the nozzle orifice such that the guard member is not in the path of the discharged mist, the guard member  
       having a greater cross-sectional area than the conduit for allowing the user's hand position adjacent the outlet without interfering with the discharge of the mist of fire suppressing wet chemical from the nozzle;  
       positioning a hand of the user adjacent the outlet for directing the discharged agent; and  
       discharging agent.  
     
     
       8. A method of extinguishing a fire as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the conduit comprises a flexible hose. 
     
     
       9. A method of extinguishing a fire as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the guard member comprises a hollow casing having a first open end and a closed second end having an opening for receiving the outlet end of the conduit within the casing. 
     
     
       10. A method of extinguishing a fire as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the guard member comprises a handle adjacent the outlet. 
     
     
       11. A method of extinguishing a fire as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the guard member comprises a grip adjacent the outlet. 
     
     
       12. A portable, wet chemical fire extinguisher as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the guard member comprises a non-electrically conductive material. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus for use by an operator in the locality of an ambient fire, for extinguishing the fire's flames, comprising: 
       a container, for housing a fire suppressing agent under pressure; and  
       a discharge assembly including a valve assembly mounted thereto in fluid communication with the fire suppressing agent, the valve assembly being adapted for hand actuation by the operator to release the fire suppressing agent, a conduit of selected length, the conduit including an intake end for receiving fire suppressing agent released from the container with actuation of the valve assembly, and including a discharge end comprising a nozzle having an axial orifice for releasing the suppressing agent under pressure as a mist, from the conduit, into the ambient, the conduit comprising a material which is sufficiently flexible so as to require the operator to grasp the discharge end in directing the released suppressing agent to the locality of the fire,  
       the discharge end having mounted thereon a hand guard in an axial position relative to the nozzle orifice such that the hand guard is not in the path of the discharged mist, the discharge end adapted to be grasped by the operator in a manner such that the hand guard is between the operator's hand and the nozzle, the hand guard having a greater cross-sectional area than the conduit for allowing the operator's grasp adjacent the discharge end without interfering with the release of the mist of the suppressing agent from the nozzle.  
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the fire suppressing agent is of a wet chemical type. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the length of the conduit is selected to be that which permits an operator to actuate the valve assembly while simultaneously grasping the hand guard. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the length of the conduit is selected to prevent the discharge end thereof from extending beyond the immediate proximity of the operator. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the conduit comprises a flexible hose material. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the conduit comprises a rubber hose.